An existing method and system for policing events within an online community includes users of the online community requesting publication of communications (e.g. pictures) to a moderator of the online community for evaluation with respect to rules for the online community.
For example, current methods and systems for policing communications within online communities are directed to users reporting allegedly offensive behaviour of other users to one or more moderators of the online community. Generally, the moderators receive these reports for verification and process them in due course. However, such a system may give rise to a large number of false or nuisance reports where the reported user has not in fact performed an offence.
In addition, some online communities have a large number of users. For example, the online chat community Chat Roulette (www.chatroulette.com) may have between 20,000 and 30,000 users online at any one time forming the online community. In such a community there may be a long lag time for moderators to process reports of alleged offensive behaviour.